MSU Extension Child & Family Development

Infant and Toddler Activity Pages

Finger Plays

Materials

• Finger plays (itsy bitsy spider, this little piggy went to the market, open shut them, twinkle twinkle little star).

Area of School Readiness

Language and Literacy: According to the Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, language and literacy involves the communication skills that children need to engage with other people and to learn. This includes receptive language or being able to listen and understand, expressive language, being able to communicate and skill for emerging literacy or being able to read and write.

Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development: According to the Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, perceptual, motor, and physical development includes motor development and health, safety and nutrition. This includes gross motor or large motor skills (like jumping, running, climbing) as well as fine motor or small muscle skills (like holding a fork or buttoning a coat). Health, safety, and nutrition includes skills for self-care (like brushing teeth), knowledge promoting healthy eating habits, and personal safety routines.

Purpose of the Activity

Emergent Literacy: Your child will practice listening to rhymes and phrases from songs or stories.

Fine Motor Skills: Your child will practice using the small muscles in their hands and fingers as they follow along with the finger plays.

Instructions

1. Sit with your child.
2. Sing these finger plays to your child with the hand motions. Use other songs or stories to sing to your child too!
3. Encourage your child to sing and play along. Help them with the hand motions while you are singing to them.

Try using finger plays during transitions (like when your child is waiting for their bottle to warm up) or when your child has to wait.

Finger Plays

Itsy Bitsy Spider:
Itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again

This Little Piggy:
This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none and this little piggy cried wee wee wee all the way home.

Open Shut Them:
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Lay them in your lap
Creepy crawly, creepy crawly
Right up to your chin
Open up your little mouth
But do not let them in
Roll them, roll them, roll them, roll them
Just like this
Wave them, wave them, wave them, wave them
Then blow a little kiss

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are